Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tashkent to Nukus, Kungrad, Urgench and Rus-
sia go via Navoi, not Bukhara.
To get to Kagan take marshrutka 68 from the
Lyabi-hauz stop (800S, 25 minutes). There are
several
air and rail ticketing agents
on Musta-
qillik around the Kryty Rynok farmers' market.
To get here from Bukhara take bus 7 or
marshrutka 70 from the Vokzal stop. The
palace is at the end of the line.
KHOREZM (XORAZM)
8
Getting¨Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
The airport is 6km east of town. Figure on
around 6000S for the 10-minute taxi trip be-
tween the centre and the airport. Marshrutka
100 or bus 10 to/from the Vokzal,
Kryty Rynok
or
Gorgaz
stops takes 15 to 20 minutes.
BICYCLE RENTAL
in a town that's perfect for exploring by bike,
east Line Tour (p199) is the only agency that
rents quality ones (per day US$15, bring your
passport as deposit).
PUBLIC TRANSPORT & TAXI
From the
primary Lyabi-Hauz marshrutka
stop
, marshrutka 52 goes to the new part of
town via Mustaqillik, while both 52 and 68 pass
by the useful
Vokzal stop
, where you can pick
up transport going just about anywhere. Useful
destinations are Kolkhoz (Dekhon) Bazaar, the
Ark stop
and Karvon Bazaar.
You should be able to get anywhere in the
centre of town in a taxi for about 3000S, so
long as you avoid the taxi drivers who hang out
around Lyabi hauz. From the centre a one-way
taxi should cost about 10,000S to Kagan; less to
emir's Summer Palace.
Urgench (Urganch)
%
62 / POP 140,000
Urgench, the capital of Khorezm province,
is a standard-issue Soviet grid of broad
streets and empty squares, 450km north-
west of Bukhara across the desolation of
the Kyzylkum desert. When the Amu-Darya
changed course in the 16th century, the
people of Konye-Urgench (then called Ur-
gench), 150km downriver in present-day
Turkmenistan, were left without water
and started a new town here. Today trav-
ellers use Urgench mainly as a transport
hub for Khiva, 35km southwest. It's also
the jumping-off point for the 'Golden Ring'
of ancient fortresses in southern Karaka-
lpakstan. It's not the kind of place you're
likely to want to hang around in, but it can
be useful as a stop over.
4
¨Sleeping¨&¨Eating
Shashlyk stands are located along pedestri-
an Uzbekistan ko'chasi. Go one short block
north from the Hotel Urgench and take a
left.
Hotel¨Urgench¨
hoTeL $$
(
%
226 20 24; Al-Khorezmi 35/1; d/lux
US$23/36;
a
)
This previously notorious
hotel has been renovated and now dis-
plays perfectly acceptable, clean, Soviet-
style rooms. It's worth trying bargaining.
To get here, head up the main avenue from
the station, cross the bridge and take the
first right a block after the main square.
Breakfast is not included.
Khorezm¨Palace¨
LUXURY hoTeL $$$
(
%
224 99 99; www.khorezmpalace.uz; Al-Beruni 2;
s/d/ste US$60/110/140;
paWs
)
Urgench's
fancier sleeping option has all the ameni-
ties you would expect at these prices, all
tucked away neatly behind a glass façade.
It's also a short distance from the main
square where Al-Beruni and Al-Khorezmi
meet. If you approach the square from the
station, take a right off the square and the
hotel will be on your right-hand side.
Around Bukhara
Emir's Summer Palace
For a look at the kitsch lifestyle of the last
emir, Alim Khan, go out to his summer pal-
ace, Sitorai Mohi Hosa (Star-and-Moon Gar-
den), now a
museum
(
%
228 50 47; admission
12,000S;
h
9am-7pm Apr-oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar)
,
6km north of Bukhara.
The three-building compound was a joint
effort for Alim Khan by Russian architects
(outside) and local artisans (inside), and no
punches were pulled in showing off both
the finest and the gaudiest aspects of both
styles. A 50-watt Russian generator pro-
vided the first electricity the emirate had
ever seen. In front of the harem is a pool
where the women frolicked, overlooked by
a wooden pavilion from which - says every
tour guide - the emir tossed an apple to his
chosen bedmate.
